Monthly DOT Focus | July 2026
Good Afternoon,
If June was about avoiding obvious violations, July serves as a reminder that the biggest enforcement issues often come from the fundamentals.
Whether it's brake systems, hours-of-service compliance, vehicle lighting, or proper HazMat identification, the most costly violations are usually tied to requirements drivers and fleets deal with every day.
And with Brake Safety Week approaching in August, now is a good time to revisit some of the basics before inspectors do.
🔧 Vehicle Talk: Brake Safety Week Is Around the Corner
CVSA has announced Brake Safety Week, August 23-29, 2026, bringing increased inspection activity and enforcement attention to commercial vehicle brake systems. [July 2026...tter (002) | PDF]
This year's emphasis will be on:
Brake drums
Brake rotors
Overall brake system condition
Brake adjustment issues
Brake adjustment has already been one of the most frequently cited violations this year, making it an area carriers should be watching closely.
What Fleets Should Be Doing Right Now
✅ Increase focus on pre-trip inspections
✅ Verify brake defects are documented and repaired promptly
✅ Review DVIR processes with drivers
✅ Ensure maintenance records are current
The carriers that perform best during enforcement blitzes are usually the ones treating brake inspections as a daily habit, not a seasonal event.
🛑 OOS Corner: One Turn Signal Can Park a Truck
Lighting violations often seem minor until they become out-of-service violations.
A vehicle can be placed Out of Service if it does not have an operative turn signal visible on each side of the rear of the vehicle, or on the rearmost unit in a combination vehicle.
Takeaway
When conducting walk-around inspections:
Verify all turn signals are functioning
Pay special attention to trailers
Confirm the rearmost vehicle is fully operational
And if a violation is issued, make sure inspection documentation accurately reflects where the defect occurred. In some situations, documentation errors may warrant a DataQ challenge.
⏰ Driver Focus: Understanding the "Why" Behind Hours-of-Service
Many drivers know the rules.
Fewer understand why the rules exist.
Hours-of-Service regulations were built around one objective:
👉 Preventing fatigued driving.
The standard framework for property-carrying drivers includes:
Maximum 11 hours driving
Within a 14-hour on-duty window
30-minute break requirement after 8 hours of driving
10 consecutive hours off duty before beginning a new shift
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) help verify compliance, but the bigger purpose remains reducing fatigue-related crashes.
The most successful fleets don't treat HOS as paperwork.
They treat it as a safety tool.
📄 HazMat Geek: Not All Gasoline Is Created Equal
For carriers hauling fuel products, ethanol content matters.
Many mistakenly assume all gasoline products fall under the same shipping description. That's not the case.
Key Distinction
E10 (10% ethanol or less) can use:
UN1203 (Gasoline)
E15 and E85 must use:
UN3475 (Ethanol and gasoline mixture)
For cargo tanks carrying multiple fuel products, this distinction directly impacts placarding requirements.
Why It Matters
Incorrect placarding is an easy violation for enforcement officials to identify, and it's one of the most preventable compliance issues in fuel transportation.
When in doubt, verify ethanol percentages before assigning shipping descriptions or placards.
👀 Driver's Seat: Pre-Trips Are More Than "Kicking the Tires"
One of the more practical reminders from this month's DOT Focus newsletter is something every fleet has heard before:
A proper pre-trip inspection isn't just "kicking the tires and lighting the fire."
Drivers should be taking the time to:
Inspect brake components where visible
Look for damaged air lines and electrical lines
Check wheel ends
Investigate anything that appears unusual
Even spending an extra few minutes during a walk-around can prevent:
Roadside violations
Costly repairs
Out-of-service orders
CSA impacts
The issues found during inspections rarely develop overnight. Most leave clues long before enforcement finds them.
🚦 Final Thought: Compliance Is Built in the Yard, Not at the Scale House
The common thread throughout this month's topics is preparation.
Brake issues, lighting violations, HOS violations, and HazMat errors generally aren't discovered when the truck reaches the inspection site. They're created earlier through missed inspections, rushed departures, and overlooked details.
The goal isn't to pass Brake Safety Week.
The goal is to operate every day as if Brake Safety Week has already started.
Because fleets that consistently focus on the fundamentals tend to experience fewer surprises when enforcement shows up.
Need Help?
If you'd like to review your fleet's exposure, discuss CSA concerns, or identify trends that may impact your insurance program, I'd be happy to help.
Stay Safe and God Bless,
Zach Kuder, TRS
Roark & Sutton, LLC
📞 417-830-0466
📱 417-397-4670
✉️ Zach@roarkandsutton.com
Disclaimer
This message is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to bind insurance coverage. No coverage is bound or amended unless confirmed in writing by an authorized representative of our agency. All coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the applicable policy.
